HC Deb 15 January 1996 vol 269 cc424-5W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice and training is provided to British troops to withstand the effects of psychological torture. [9010]

Mr. Soames

Conduct after capture training is made available to those personnel most vulnerable to capture in time of war or other crisis.

Mr. Hanson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on allegations of torture made by British service personnel while hostages of Serbian forces. [8650]

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the allegations of psychological torture of British troops taken hostage in Bosnia; and what assessment he has made of their accuracy. [9009]

Mr. Soames

There is no evidence that the British service personnel who were taken hostage by the Bosnian Serbs in May 1995 were physically tortured or subjected to a campaign of psychological abuse. While the conditions in which they were held were far from ideal, they were generally treated satisfactorily. However, in an isolated incident, one British soldier had a threat made against his life by his captors. This was totally unacceptable conduct by the Bosnian Serbs and we strongly condemn it. All UK hostages were debriefed on their release and reports have been forwarded to the UN war crimes tribunal which is investigating the detention of UN personnel.